The Orpheum

The Orpheum is one of the most beautiful concert halls in North America, hosting Canadian and international musicians, lecture series, and unique events. The Orpheum is a designated National Heritage Site built in 1927 and refurbished in 2009.

Accessibility

Wheelchair seating is available on the orchestra and dress circle levels.

Wheelchair accessible washrooms are on the orchestra level and the third floor.

Elevator access is available through the Smithe Street entrance.

Hearing-assist units and binoculars are available at the main lobby coat check.

Parking

Parking near the theatre is limited. Give yourself extra time before your event to find parking. There is no parkade attached to the Orpheum, but there is parking in the neighbourhood, at meters, and public parking lots.

Before the show

The lobby is open one hour before performances. Come early and enjoy the striking architecture of the Orpheum. We offer a selection of tempting snacks, local craft beers, and hand-picked BC wines. Beat the line-up by pre-ordering your intermission drinks!

Children

Vancouver Civic Theatres requires that all audience members, including children, must have a ticket. There are no exemptions to this policy regardless of the child’s age.

Latecomers

If you are late to a performance, please be aware that you may not be seated until intermission. Video monitors are available in the theatre lobby to follow the action on stage.

To honour the performance’s integrity, the show’s producer will determine 24 hours in advance when latecomers may be seated. In some cases, latecomers may be seated at the back of the Orchestra.

Cameras and recording devices

Taking photographs and recording performances in theatres is not allowed unless authorized by the promoter or producer. Cameras and recording devices may be confiscated by theatre staff for the duration of the show.

Lost and found

To enquire about items, phone 604-665-3035.

BC Entertainment Hall of Fame

The Orpheum is home to the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame.

The Starwall Gallery on the 2nd floor off the Granville Street staircase features members of the Hall of Fame.

Outside the Orpheum is the Starwalk, a parade of plaques installed in the sidewalk along Granville Street to honour these artists.

Resident companies

For over 90 years, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra has presented high-quality performances of classical and popular music to audiences in the region. The largest performing arts organization in western Canada and the third largest symphony in the country, the VSO presents over 140 concerts each season at the Orpheum.

A resident of the Orpheum since 1930, the 150-voice Vancouver Bach Choir presents a series of concerts each year and has been responsible for the British Columbia premiere of a number of major works and the premiere of many Canadian composers.

Since its inception in 1971, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, a professional vocal ensemble, has been performing in Vancouver, across Canada, and around the world, singing in over 35 languages. A leading advocate of Canadian music and composers, the Choir has commissioned and premiered more than 170 new choral works in the last 30 years.

Presenters

The Vancouver Academy of Music is a non-profit institution founded in 1969 offering a wide range of classical training for students of instrumental and vocal music, and provides an opportunity for students to participate in master classes, technique classes, opera workshops, and chamber music. During the year, VAM presents a number of concerts at the Orpheum showcasing the young talent of the institution.

History of the Orpheum

The Orpheum Theatre opened in 1927 as Vancouver's largest vaudeville house, providing a popular mix of live and screen entertainment.

Historical significance

The Orpheum has a long association with classical music productions in Vancouver and with important local groups including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Bach Choir and the Vancouver Chamber Choir.

The Orpheum works closely with cinematic and live entertainment in Vancouver. For many years, the Orpheum was one of the few venues in Vancouver available to international performers.

The history of the Orpheum’s use reflects broad patterns of change in the mass entertainment industry in North America, first for vaudeville, then for cinema, and subsequently as a civic theatre.

As one of the City of Vancouver's three theatres, the Orpheum enforces the City's view that cultural and performance spaces are important to Vancouver citizens.

Architectural significance

The Orpheum was Vancouver’s largest vaudeville movie palace from the first half of the 20th century and is the only one of its scale in Vancouver to survive.

The Orpheum is one of the few decorative vaudeville movie palaces in Canada.

The Orpheum provides a rare example of the Spanish Baroque Revival style, an uncommon type of 1920s architecture.

The Orpheum’s architect was B. Marcus Priteca. He is recognized as the most accomplished theatre designer of his era in the American Northwest and Western Canada. This is the only surviving Canadian theatre designed by Priteca.

The Orpheum has strong contextual value for being an anchor building in Vancouver’s Theatre Row.